Voters in Renfrewshire are being urged to make sure they are ready to vote in the General Election next month.

People who have never voted before, individuals who have recently moved house or changed their name, need to register to vote before registration ends on June 18.

Residents have several ways of voting for the upcoming election.

They can visit polling stations on July 4 between 7am and 10pm to vote in person.

Alternatively, for those who may be unable to attend their polling station, proxy and postal voting are available as options.

A proxy vote occurs when an individual nominates another trusted person to vote on their behalf.

Candidates for postal proxy votes, along with applications or changes to postal votes must be submitted by 5pm on June 19.

Anyone wishing to register a proxy must ensure their application has been submitted by 5pm, June 26.

New measures indicate that voters will be required to provide photo identification at their respective polling stations while voting.

Acceptable forms of ID include passports, driving licences, Scottish National Entitlement cards, Young Scot cards bearing a PASS mark and more.

A detailed list is available on the Renfrewshire Council website.

For those without any acceptable form of identification, a free Voter Authority Certificate can be applied for before 5pm on June 26.

Applications forms are also available at the Electoral Registration Office in Paisley.

Alan Russell, returning officer and Renfrewshire Council chief executive, said: "It’s important that anyone wishing to vote in the forthcoming election on 4 July is registered to vote and I would encourage everyone to double check their poll letter when they receive it in the coming weeks.

"With the election taking place over the summer period, for those that may be away on polling day, people will wish to be aware of the key dates for proxy and postal votes, so please ensure you are aware of the deadlines and apply as soon as possible to guarantee everything is in place to allow you to cast your vote."

The count for votes will start straight away following the conclusion of the election at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley.

The constituencies contesting the election include Paisley and Renfrewshire North, and Paisley and Renfrewshire South.

However, post review by the Boundary Commission, the boundaries of the constituencies have been altered - six new polling places in Cardonald will now lie within the Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency.

Following the boundary changes voters from Bridge of Weir and Houston are now part of the Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West constituency administered by Inverclyde Council, but there is no change to their polling stations.  

For more information on how to participate in the upcoming election and on the accepted forms of identification, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/general-election-2024.